Dreaming in Ba Sing Se
by ouxes
Summary: Just some classic Zutara. Set after the final episode of the Earth book, Team Avatar decide to remain in Ba Sing Se to allow Aang to fully recover but Katara is distracted by some conflicting thoughts: Aang and Zuko keep going through her mind and she is not sure of her feelings towards either of them. Which will she choose? As this is a Zutara fic that's kinda obvious BUT STILL.
1. Chapter 1

Katara slid the door open and closed it behind her. The night was surprisingly warm; a light breeze swirled a few loose tendrils of her hair over her face and she was suddenly filled with and an inexplicable tranquillity. After everything that had happened over the past week, tonight seemed to be the first night of total insignificance, and its trivial, unremarkable nature was more relieving that she could have expected. All they had done was laze around the living space. Everyone was bored, but everyone was safe. Sokka had been attempting to plan their next move against the Fire Nation or Zuko and Azula but his efforts had been wasted; none of the others had the energy to want to get involved so he had entertained himself by devising ludicrously complex and fanciful plots to infiltrate the Fire Nation capital. Toph had been contented with playing on the floor with Momo, tossing small stones to him and getting mild pleasure when he mistook them for leechi nuts over and over again. She and Katara had gone down to the marketplace in the evening for ingredients and so Katara had whiled away the few remaining hours of daylight slowly cooking a braised chicken-noodle broth. Aang, of course, was still sleeping. She had gone to check on him earlier in the afternoon but he was still in bed, sleeping and healing, the burn on his back almost obscene, but at least he was breathing. At least he was still here.

Katara brushed her hair over her shoulder and padded down the porch steps onto the cobbled street, swinging the water jug in her hand as she went. The lanterns were lit but it was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday night. Only a few people meandered the side-streets, weaving about the restaurants and closing markets for a hot meal. The whole of Ba Sing Se seemed to be in a somnambulate state of relief – but maybe that was just how she perceived it.

She strolled leisurely down the street, trailing her fingertips lightly along the wooden slatted houses, until she turned down an alleyway that backed a little shaded section of parkland that provided the built-up neighbourhood with some spiritual relief. It was only large enough to fit two benches, one large spruce and a collection of scattered shrubbery that were surprisingly beautiful in bloom.

The tap poking out of the laneway wall was Katara's destination. She stopped there and hooked the mouth of the water jug underneath before whipping around to stare into the shrubbery.

'Who's there?' she demanded, her voice rudely interrupting the sleepy atmosphere.

A skinny grey cat leapt from a low windowsill in fright and scampered around the corner of the alley and out of sight.

But Katara continued to squint into the comparative darkness of the trees, certain that she had _felt_ more than _heard_ the presence of someone close by. Her fingers were flexed at the ready; the tap was just here…

The longer she waited, the more she began to doubt her senses. Perhaps it was just the cat?

Slowly, resentfully, she turned back to the tap and turned on the water, her eyes flicking continuously back to the park. Once the jug was full, the turned off the tap but kept her hand hovering over its open top, just in case. Then, she made her way back down the alley, continuously throwing glances over her shoulder until she was up the porch steps and through the front door of their house.

'Finally, sheesh,' said Sokka theatrically.

He had flopped on the floor on his back, his legs hanging over the arm of the loveseat. One arm was draped over his forehead.

'We were dying of thirst up here,' he complained.

'Descended into the final stages of dehydration in the past five minutes, did you?'

'Just about!'

'Yeah, what took you so long?' demanded Toph from where she sat cross-legged on the mat opposite Momo, who was pawing expectantly at the stone in her fist. 'The tap's just 'round the corner.'

'I don't know,' said Katara slowly. 'It was probably nothing but – I felt like someone was watching me from the park.'

'Someone like who?' asked Sokka curiously, tilting his head to look at her upside-down.

'No one in particular… I dunno, it was probably nothing. Just paranoia from the past few days, I guess.'

'No sign of Zuko or the Lightning-Lady yet?' inquired Toph, though there wasn't much in the question and she wasn't surprised when Katara shook her head.

'They've probably gone home,' said Sokka. 'It's what I would do if I thought I'd finally defeated the Avatar.'

They were having the same conversation they had had earlier that day, and the day before. The problem was they all knew they were probably right, and that left them with little alternative but to wait for Aang to recover and then go on the offensive to the Fire Nation itself: in other words, an impossibly daunting prospect. Katara didn't blame Toph for wanting the enemy to be closer, or more isolated. It's what they would all prefer.

She went over to the kitchen and took three glasses from the cupboard to place on the bench, then coiled three ribbons of clear water from the jug to separate evenly into the cups.

'Here,' she said, handing a glass each to Toph and Sokka.

Toph drank deeply before putting the cup on the floor and tilting it slightly, allowing Momo to eagerly lap up the last quarter.

'Yes!' groaned Sokka, taking a single gulp before handing it back to Katara.

'You're welcome,' she said, with an eyebrow raised. 'Have either of you checked on Aang?'

'He'll just be sleeping,' said Sokka dismissively, lying back down on the floor. 'I dunno why you keep going to check on him, I'm pretty sure we'd know if he woke up.'

'Fine, _I'll_ go check on him.' Katara narrowed her eyes and plonked the glass down on the wooden floor next to Sokka's head. 'You should at least go and feed Appa.'

'Toph, will you go and feed Appa?' Sokka asked lazily.

'Totally!' Toph sprang to her feet. 'I've been dying to get outside all day, this place is so _boring_! And _you're_ coming with me.'

She stamped forward and grabbed Sokka's wrist and began dragging him towards the door.

'Nooo, no no no I'm comfy here, no Toph please!' he begged, clawing emphatically at the floor.

'A little fresh air would do you good, trust me,' she replied simply, pushing the door open.

Katara rolled her eyes and turned her back on them, heading to the steps that lead to the bedrooms.

She knew Sokka was right: there was no reason for her to keep checking on him, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that made it impossible for her to forget about Aang even for a moment. Every time she lay down to sleep, the image of Azula, her evil grin alight with perceived success, shooting a bolt of lightning at Aang's glowing figure, flashed through her mind's eye and she would wake up under a cold sweat. She was never at ease, never contented by any apparent distraction. All she wanted was for Aang to wake up and be well again and then they could continue hunting Zuko and Azula and she would finally be occupied.

But there was one thing that would distract Katara from thoughts of Aang, and that was Zuko. She hated thinking about it, especially when she realised her mind had wandered back to the memories of the underground prison hold, but she couldn't help it. Every time she closed her eyes she would see his face, the left side burned and disfigured by the weight of a past she longed to ease. They had spoken like equals, like human beings, even confessed fears and secrets to one another, and she could easily recall that feeling of intense compassion that had overwhelmed her at the time when he divulged some of his most personal memories. _But no_, the told herself firmly, sliding the door open to the room Aang was sleeping in. _He had shown his true colours to be the coldest shade of red on earth. He's an evil, heartless man no matter what he said underground; his actions had spoken louder than his words so you can quit it with these thoughts, Katara_.

Tentatively, Katara peered around the doorway into Aang's room. He was indeed sleeping, as she had expected, the beige quilt coiled around his waist as he faced away from her. The gruesome red scar in the middle of his back was emblazoned upon Katara's retinas so that no amount of blinking could rid her of it, and, resolved on some sort of action, she entered the room and approached to kneel silently beside him.

He was breathing, slowly and steadily, his face completely blank as he was lost in the realm of peaceful dreaming. His expression was so sweet it was almost sad.

Katara gently pushed his shoulder over, exposing his back more, and swirled a stream of cool water from the jug beside the mat. It covered her hands and began to glow a soft, soothing blue, and she got to work on attempting to heal his wound. She knew it was futile – the scarring was too severe for her limited healing abilities, but she kept trying. Even though all the spirit water had been used, she felt this was better than nothing.

Her thoughts continued to flick between Aang and Zuko, Aang and Zuko, Zuko and Aang. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ she groaned internally, rubbing her eyes with the back of her wrist, but she couldn't help the regret she felt at the fact that Zuko had gone back to the Fire Nation. It seemed like there was so much unfinished business between them – but then again, she wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him or hurl jagged shards of ice at him for what he had done. Either way, Katara couldn't deny that she greatly desired seeing him again.


	2. Chapter 2

Katara's head snapped up again and the water fell from her hands onto the mat Aang was lying on. Her eyes were glued to the window where some inexplicable power had drawn her gaze. She got to her feet, curling her fingers as she did so and the water was drawn from the mat to coil around each of her fingers – just in case. It was that same feeling that she was being watched… _but I'm on the second-storey_. She frowned and walked across the room to the open window.

The rooftops of Ba Sing Se's Lower Ring glistened emerald green in the combined light of the rising moon and the crystal lanterns that hung from the eaves of every street corner. They were clustered together so tightly that it was difficult to determine exactly where the streets ran as most were so narrow that only three men at most could walk abreast. Across the road, an alley ran between two blocks that was criss-crossed by clotheslines; shirts and prayer flags fluttered in the evening breeze.

All seemed quiet but Katara couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling that there was someone there, someone watching her from the shadows of a neighbouring house or rooftop.

'This is getting annoying,' she muttered under her breath, and stepped back to slam the window shut.

She marched across the room, levitating the water in a ball in her left hand, out the door, through the hall, down the stairs, across the living area and out onto the front porch, pulling the door closed behind her with a _thud_ of finality.

'Come out and face me, whoever you are!' she called to the street, her brow furrowed with irritation. 'Come on, you coward, I haven't got time for this!'

She waited, scanning the apparently deserted street, the minutes ticking by. After five minutes, her stance slackened slightly and she stepped back, shaking her head slightly. _I must be going crazy_.

Katara turned to go back inside when there was finally an answer.

'Wait!'

_That voice!_

Katara spun around, raising her hands so that the water flared dangerously around her person. There he was, _Zuko_, standing still with his foot out from the shadow of the alley across the way. His eyes were wide as he observed her immediately threatening reaction, and he held up his hands, but not in defence – in submission.

'Oh, I am _not_ falling for that again!' Katara yelled furiously. 'What do you think you're doing here?!'

She knew right away that the desire to attack him for betraying her won out over the option of diplomacy. Every particle of her loathed him, right from his mocking Earth Kingdom attire to his scar to his dark hair and those burning orange eyes. His pale skin seemed luminous in the moonlight and his expression of total defeat did nothing to calm her mounting rage.

'Katara _please_, you've got to hear me out!' he pleaded, taking another cautious step forward.

'Oh, I've got to _hear you out_?' she laughed manically. 'And you expect me to _believe_ anything you have to say? You already betrayed me once!'

'I know and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Katara, believe me –'

'"Sorry" isn't going to fix all the hurt you caused!'

'It's all I can do, but Katara will you please listen to me?'

He took another step closer but Katara whirled around, lashing out a tongue of water that pushed Zuko back from where it smacked him in the chest. He fell back with a grunt of pain but did not retaliate. He merely looked up at her with those pleading eyes that blazed with sincerity that Katara knew _must_ be a lie.

'What!' she roared. 'What do you want me to listen to? More of your tales? Or is _Azula_ lurking in the side-streets and you're here to distract me while she attacks?'

'No, it's not like that! Azula isn't here, she's probably in the Fire Nation by now –'

'And why didn't you go with her?' asked Katara, her tone horribly mocking. 'Hatching some other plot to become _Earth King_ or whatever it is you want to be?!'

'I CAME BACK BECAUSE OF YOU!' Zuko yelled, his true anger and pain bursting suddenly through his mask of regret.

He threw his hands down, his fingers balled into fists that began to smoke in his rage. Katara faltered, stunned, staring disbelievingly down at him; Zuko had suddenly become his usual sullen self, all apologies forgotten as he glared at the cobbled street. Katara narrowed her eyes.

'Now you're just getting desperate,' she snarled in disgust. 'What d'you mean, "because of me"?'

'I was on the ship with Azula going home,' he muttered resentfully. 'I was going _home_, I should have been happy! But I wasn't. I couldn't stop thinking about you, and how you had been so kind after everything that I've done. I don't understand why, but I feel so much regret.'

'Good,' said Katara shortly, though her attitude now was hiding her real burning curiosity, and the flare in her water-bending had subsided slightly. 'You should feel regret for what you've done, not just to me –'

'But _you're_ the only thing that matters that much to me!'

Zuko looked up at her again and she couldn't see any lie in the confusion written all over his face.

'I don't understand why but you're driving me crazy!' he said desperately.

'And now _you're_ driving _me_ crazy,' Katara replied, her voice full of venom. 'I don't know how you found us here but leave us alone! If you're not going to attack me then fine, but if you try to come back I will_ not_ hesitate to send you a clearer message.'

And she turned to go back inside.

'Wait – he's alive, isn't he?' called Zuko.

Katara looked over her shoulder to where he stood, half in shadow and half in the moonlight, his hand raised slightly as though trying to pull her back from a distance.

'That is none of your business,' she retorted.

And before he could say another word, she threw open the door and slammed it shut behind her, the water falling from her hands with a _splash_ over the wooden floorboards.

_As if he thought I would believe him, coming back because of me… He's obviously just trying to find out if Aang is still alive. But that means Azula must still be in the city if he's here… But his face had seemed so sincere… He didn't even try to attack me, he just let me go…_

Thoughts whirled through Katara's mind as she paced up and down the living area, bending the water off the floor and coiling it into the jug on the bench. She was so angry at both him and herself, because she couldn't deny the initial feeling that had flooded her being when she first heard his voice – she had been _glad_, as though she had been waiting for him to meet her and he had finally shown up; and the only reason she was so upset towards him was because he had betrayed her trust when she desired so desperately to get to know him…

Suddenly, the sounds of yelling reached her ears from outside. Shouts and then a crumbling crash – Katara flew forwards and threw open the door to see Zuko standing in handcuffs of stone, Toph still with her hands raised to him and Sokka with his club at his side.

'_Look Katara!_' Sokka growled. 'We found Zuko lurking out the front of our place!'

'How did you find us?!' Toph demanded, stamping her foot to send two more heavy cuffs of stone to clasp around Zuko's ankles.

'I wasn't trying to attack you!' said Zuko firmly, squirming slightly in his predicament.

'Oh so you were just popping by for a chat and a catch-up?' asked Sokka angrily. Then he turned to Katara. 'What're we gonna do, we can't just let him go.'

'You're right, we can't,' Katara agreed grimly, gripped by a sudden idea. 'We'll take him inside as our prisoner. He can't be trusted out in the streets.'

'Good idea,' said Toph viciously. 'And then we can question him!'

Zuko's gaze was a mix between confusion and suspicion as he was frog-marched by Toph past Katara's resolute stance.

Toph was right – she _did_ need to question him.


	3. Chapter 3

'There,' said Toph, brushing the dirt off her hands with satisfaction. 'That should be enough.'

'Haven't you realised I'm not going to attack yet?' Zuko muttered angrily.

His hands and feet were concealed in stone so that no amount of fire could escape them; he was seated in a chair in the corner of the spare bedroom between two large dishes of earth and water to be used should he attempt to escape.

The flickering paper lantern hanging by the door was the only light in the room aside from the moonlight that painted a rectangle of silver onto the middle of the floor. Zuko sat in comparative shadow, glaring at his three captors.

'Should we question him now?' asked Sokka menacingly, eyeing Zuko's bound form with hostility.

'No,' said Katara firmly, her arms crossed. 'I think we should wait until – until, um, until we decide exactly what we're going to ask him.' She finished rather lamely, having almost said 'until Aang wakes up'.

'Hm. Good point,' admitted Sokka reluctantly, obviously on the same wavelength. 'Fine, I'll take first guard.'

He made to walk forwards but Katara quickly held out her hand to catch him by the shoulder.

'Wait, I'm sorry, Sokka, but don't you think Toph or I should do the guarding?' she asked carefully, afraid of offending him. 'I mean, he is a powerful fire-bender –'

'You think I can't handle _Zuko_?!' yelped Sokka, clearly hurt.

'That's not what I meant,' said Katara flatly. 'But we have the bowls there for a reason and if he burns you –'

'Fine,' said Sokka shortly, turning back to the door. '_You_ keep first guard, then.'

And he slammed the door behind him.

'Nice job,' said Toph, heavily. 'I'll go cheer him up… You'll be fine with Fire Boy here?'

'I'm sure I'll manage.'

Katara rolled her eyes but dropped the façade once Toph had left the room. She turned to Zuko, crossing her arms again over her chest. She attempted to be defiant but her resolve faltered somewhat as she looked at him, bound only four metres away, closer and yet also more dangerous than ever for they were alone in a room again for the first time since the catacombs. She couldn't help the exhilaration that fluttered her heart. Was she imagining the electricity that sparked around the room?

Zuko's eyes turned up to meet hers, their orange irises smouldering with some unspoken feeling, visible even from his gloomy corner.

'You owe me an explanation,' she said sharply. 'What the _hell_ did you mean before?'

'What part of "before" are you concerned about?' asked Zuko coldly, clearly appeasing her.

His attitude did nothing to calm her temper. Katara began to pace back and forth in front of him, holding herself in a stance of dominance. Her shadow was lengthened across the floor by the orange lamplight.

'Don't play stupid with me,' she hissed. 'I want you to tell me why you came back.'

'I thought you were going to wait for the Avatar to awake before questioning my motives?'

Katara stopped pacing to look daggers at him; Zuko looked back calmly, an air of mild triumph about his expression.

'What makes you think Aang is alive?'

'The Spirit Water,' he shrugged, narrowing his eyes slightly. 'In the catacombs of the city, you showed me.'

'A lot of things happened in the catacombs,' said Katara dismissively, resuming her pacing. 'A lot of things were said, secrets _and_ lies were told.'

'Like what?'

'Maybe like how you led me to believe you were almost a human being?' said Katara loudly, flaring up and stopping again to glare at him. 'And that turned out to be a lie, didn't it? So what makes you think the water really _was_ Spirit Water?'

'You wouldn't lie, Katara,' said Zuko quietly.

Something in his face had shifted. All icy indifference had been replaced by shame and regret, and he hung his head just as he had done in their confrontation earlier outside. Katara hated the shiver of pleasure that ran up her spine as he said her name; it had sounded so familiar, so alluring coming from his lips, as though that was how her name had been made to sound. _No, stop thinking those thoughts! _

'What makes you think that?' she asked frostily.

'You're too kind and good to lie. And you're right, I am a monster.'

'Oh, stop feeling so sorry for yourself!' she cried.

Katara was getting angry at herself. She wanted Zuko to attack her or yell at her so that she could continue hating him in peace. But no, he didn't allow her such simplicity. Why had he chosen now to be human?!

'If I was going to hurt you, I would have done so by now,' said Zuko irritably, and then, in one succinct movement, he clenched his jaw and wrenched his arm out of the hold of stone, the rock itself cracking with red fire before crumbling onto the floor in a blaze of gold that illuminated the entire room.

Katara gasped and streamed a jet of water from the bowl beside Zuko's chair, and, without a flicker of hesitation, thrust her hand forward to conceal Zuko's free hand in a thick block of ice.

'Katara, listen to me!' growled Zuko, and she watched his hand, distorted by the ripples in the ice, begin to glow and rapidly melt the ice. 'I'm trying to prove that I will _not_ fight you!'

'Why?!' said Katara desperately, struggling to understand his intentions and unsure as to whether she should be afraid.

'I told you before,' he grimaced, the water melting around his fingers. 'Why would I leave everything that I had been striving to achieve for the past three years to come back and kill _you_? Everyone thinks the Avatar is dead, but I know he's not –'

'So you came back to kill him?'

Her eyes widened in shock and Zuko proceeded to kick his feet free of rock.

'No.' He shook his dark head. 'If I wanted to kill him, why would I have confronted _you_ of all people? Why would I have let you know I was here? Why would I have spent the past three days waiting out the front of your place just to glimpse you because I was too much of a coward to come out of hiding and speak to you?'

Katara opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again and dropped her gaze to the floor. Only now did she realise how quiet it was in the room, and how heavily she was breathing. She didn't understand what was going on or what Zuko was intending to do; what he had said and what he had done did not make any sense inside her mind, but when he now strode across the room to stand three inches in front of her, she knew she had nothing to fear.

Zuko held her upper arms in his damp, warm hands and, timidly, Katara looked up at his face that was so terrifyingly close, and she was filled with a new kind of fear…

'I won't hurt you,' he said softly, the left side of his face dappled in moonlight, the right illuminated by firelight. 'I promise.'

Suddenly, as though the events of the past three minutes ran through her mind at the speed of six frames a second, Katara gasped and backed away from him to the wall. She slid down to sit on the silver floor and hug her knees.

'For some reason, I can never get to sleep anymore,' she said shakily. 'And when I do, I wake up over and over again. It's so frustrating.'

Zuko walked towards her, slowly this time, to sit cross-legged four feet opposite her.

'In the Fire Nation we have a saying that if you can't sleep at night it's because you're awake in someone else's dreams,' he said, and something in his tone was restricted.

'What are you saying?' she asked, looking up at him.

'I've been dreaming about you, Katara,' Zuko replied fearlessly. 'I can't help it. When I'm not awake staring at the ceiling at night I'm dreaming of you.'

'That's funny,' said Katara, with a humourless laugh. 'I've been dreaming about you, too. You're like a flame in the dark, you know – I'm wandering around blindly, lost in this mess, but you're there so clear and bright to me.'

'What does that make you? A moth?'

Katara smirked wryly.

'Attracted to the flame, huh?' she said, grinning.

Zuko's pale cheeks flushed at the cheesy metaphor. For something to do, he unfolded his pale fingers like the petals of a moon flower and conjured a small, flickering flame into being. Katara watched it waving slightly in the wake of Zuko's breath, her chin rested on her knees, and Zuko's gaze drifted from his creation to her face.

She was like the moon, soft and blue-eyed, half in shadow yet with a face of the purest radiance. Her hair coiled sensuously down her shoulders and the flame reflected palely in her eyes. Katara was deep in thought, and Zuko longed to unravel the secrets of her mind.

'It's so beautiful,' she murmured, raising her hand to flick her finger through the tip of the fire. A current sparked between their hands that were suddenly only inches apart. Zuko silently begged the universe to will Katara's fingertip lower to his skin.

'For so long I've hated this,' she continued, playing lightly with the fire. 'You've used it against us and hurt the people I love.'

'I have learnt that fire is dangerous and destructive,' Zuko admitted, boldly stating his shame.

'Yes,' said Katara slowly, frowning slightly, 'but fire is also life and warmth, and energy. Fire is from the sun.' Then, she smiled properly and looked up into his face. 'You taught me that.'

'Me? How?'

'I've seen the way you use it and the energy behind your bending. There's some wild power that's unique to fire-bending, and though it is very dangerous I think, if used rightly, it can be really beautiful.'

'I don't understand you at all,' said Zuko exasperatedly, shaking his head.

'What did I say?'

'I never thought you would ever trust me –'

'I'm not saying I trust you,' she said, her tone clipped. 'But…' her face softened as she looked back at the flame in Zuko's palm, 'I'm glad I got to talk to you.'

'You say that in the past tense,' Zuko noted warily.

Katara smiled, but it was somewhat sad.

'I'm glad I will get to talk to you more,' she corrected.


	4. Chapter 4

Katara hugged her waist as she emerged into the living room. Sokka was trying to persuade Momo to sit still long enough for Toph to try and toss a straw ring around his head.

'Just stay put, Momo!' Sokka commanded exasperatedly. 'Stay. Staaaay, good Momo, good boy, goo- no no, Momo, no!'

'Ugh, this game sucks,' Toph groaned, slumping back on her heels and flicking the ring across the room where it whacked Sokka on the forehead.

'Ow!'

Sokka clutched his head and made to retaliate before he noticed Katara leaning against the doorway.

'Did you get anything out of Zuko?' he asked quickly, getting to his feet.

'I didn't bother,' she shrugged indifferently. 'His royal _sulkiness_ got tiring though – Toph, can you take over? I'm exhausted.'

'Definitely,' she said, with an evil grin. 'Oh I have been waiting for this…'

'You're not going to get much out of him, believe me,' said Katara, rolling her eyes just for added effect.

'I think I can _persuade_ him,' Toph smirked, punching her fist into her palm.

And she stomped away up the steps. Katara moved to sit at the table, waiting for the shout she knew would be coming any second now. She felt guilty – guilty for not telling the others what she had done or what had happened between her and Zuko. She saw the events of just moments ago in her mind's eye: Zuko's last glance at her, that flash of orange before he leapt from the windowsill into the night. She still wasn't sure if she had done the right thing and the secret weighed heavily inside her mind. She was afraid it would show on her face.

'Sokka! Katara!'

And there it was. Toph burst back into the living room.

'He's gone!'

'_What!_' said Sokka sharply. 'Are you sure?'

'Zuko is definitely not in there, the room was empty!'

'We've gotta go out and look for him,' said Sokka immediately.

'There's no way you'd find him,' said Katara flatly. 'Come on, this is _Zuko_ we're talking about, if he didn't want to be found, he'd make sure he was hidden.'

'Well then we definitely can't stay here,' said Sokka. 'We should leave, tonight.'

'We can't take Aang now! He's not in a stable condition and I don't want to jeopardise his recovery –'

'I know you have Aang's best interests at heart but so do I,' said Sokka stubbornly. 'If Zuko's escaped he's probably gone to tell Azula and her freaky _minions_ where we all are.'

'You're both forgetting something,' Toph interrupted pointedly. 'They all think Aang's dead, remember?'

'They're not gonna think he's dead when they storm in here to get us all and find him asleep upstairs,' said Sokka, rolling his eyes. 'Come on, Katara, you know I'm right.'

'I don't know.' Katara bit her lip. 'I think that we should stay tonight –'

'We've been here too long as it is,' Sokka interrupted. 'I think it's time we made a move towards the Fire Nation; the eclipse isn't gonna wait for Aang to get better and that's the only chance of an invasion that we've got.'

'I've kinda been thinking the same thing,' said Toph slowly.

'Okay,' said Katara reluctantly. 'Okay, you're right. I'll go into the market tomorrow to get some supplies and – and then we'll leave.'

'Yes!' said Toph emphatically. '_Finally_ we'll have something to do! I'm so sick of this stupid city!'

Katara woke early after a restless sleep feeling tired and uncoordinated. She dressed slowly in the appropriate simple green robe, wrapping a scarf tight around her middle and pinning back her hair-loopies, feeling an unusual sensation of anticipation. Zuko's face flitted in and out of her imagination. When she emerged into the living area, intent on making tea, Sokka's grinning face was peering around the doorframe.

'Hey, Katara!'

'What?'

'Aang's awake.'

'What!'

Katara hurried after Sokka up the stairs into Aang's bedroom.

He was indeed sitting up, looking bleary-eyed and his black hair was tousled and stuck up at the back, but he looked up and flashed a feeble grin before Katara threw herself onto him.

'I'm so glad you're awake!' she squealed.

'Whoa – thanks, Katara, it's good to see you, too!'

'Katara's been obsessing, coming up here and _checking on you_ and _healing you_ basically every single second,' said Sokka, shaking his head. 'But it's good to see you, buddy.'

'Where are we?' Aang asked, scratching the side of his head and peering around Katara's figure to survey the room.

'Still in Ba Sing Se,' said Katara gleefully, unable to stop smiling. 'We thought we'd wait here for you to recover before moving on to the Fire Nation.'

Aang's scratching hand moved up from his temple until he yelped and clutched his head with both hands.

'I have hair?! How long have I been out?'

'A bit over a week,' said Sokka. 'You took a pretty bad punch – or lightning attack, I should say.'

'Oh man,' Aang groaned. 'I feel terrible.'

'I'll go and make some tea,' said Katara quickly, getting to her feet. 'You should come down when you feel ready.'

Aang nodded glumly and Katara hurried downstairs, feeling slightly feverish. She was so relieved to see Aang awake that even Zuko was temporarily dissolved from her thoughts. She raised her hands to bend a stream of water into the teapot before heating it in the stove pit. She put cups onto the little table before hurrying up to slide open the door to Toph's room.

Toph was, characteristically, still asleep lying spread-eagled on her front on the floor, snoring rhythmically.

'Hey, Toph, you should get up!' said Katara, slightly irate but too happy to feel any real enmity towards her. 'Aang's awake!'

'Hm? Twinkle-Toes?' Toph groaned, rolling over onto her back. 'I'll be up in a second…'

Katara didn't care enough to disapprove. She went back into the living area and was just pouring the tea when Sokka and Aang came downstairs, Aang moving slowly and leaning on his staff.

'I don't understand,' said Aang lowly, sitting on the floor by the table. 'I went down, didn't I? I went down bad.'

'Yeah,' said Sokka gravely. 'If it wasn't for Katara you probably would've been toast –'

'Sokka!' said Katara reproachfully, sitting down next to Aang. 'Azula is the most evil – ugh she came _so close_ to ruining everything. But you're going to make a full recovery, I know it. If you want we can go upstairs after this and I'll heal your back a little more.'

'How is it?' Aang asked, twisting around to try and see the scar in the middle of his back.

'Here.'

Katara stood up to bend the water from the jug into a smooth circle of ice before slicing it in two and taking both halves over to Aang. She held one behind him whilst be used the other half to find his reflection. His face fell.

'Oh man,' he groaned again, and the ice turned to liquid in his fingers. 'I can't believe that happened.'

'Aang, it's okay, you'll be okay –'

'How is this in any way okay, Katara?' he said angrily. 'Ba Sing Se fell, and so did I.'

'But wait, you haven't heard the whole story,' said Sokka suavely. 'We have a secret weapon to use against the Fire Nation… A _ve-ery_ effective weapon.'

'What is it?'

'It's you.'

'Me?'

'Yep,' said Sokka, crossing his arms with satisfaction. 'Everyone thinks your dead, so –'

'_WHAT?!_ Everyone thinks I'm _dead_?'

'Yeah, and this is a good thing.' Sokka sounded out the last two words with obvious intent. 'When we invade the Fire Nation in a couple of days, they won't take us seriously until _bam!_ You jump out of nowhere and get all Avatar-y on them.'

'Sokka, this is _not_ a good thing,' said Aang firmly. 'In fact, this is a really bad thing. The world thinks I'm dead, and I would have been dead if Katara didn't save me. Ba Sing Se fell and I – I failed.'

He hung his head.

'Aang, you didn't fail,' said Katara sincerely. 'Ba Sing Se may have fallen to the Fire Nation but this is not over. We're going to the Fire Nation probably tomorrow or the day after next.'

'But we have to leave soon,' said Sokka, suddenly serious. 'Zuko knows we're here.'

'_Zuko_? How?' asked Aang.

'I don't know, but the scumbag found us. We captured him but, somehow, he slipped through our fingers and got away.' Sokka clucked his tongue. 'Typical.'

'I'm gonna go and find him,' said Aang suddenly, getting to his feet.

'No!' Katara and Sokka both said.

'It's too dangerous out there,' said Katara firmly. 'Dai Li agents are swarming the place, all under Azula's command of course. And besides, you still have recovering to do.'

'Ugh, I _hate_ waiting around without being able to _do_ anything!' Aang growled. 'I'm going back upstairs.'

And he swept away, sending an irate gust of wind through Katara's hair. Katara bit her lip.

'Poor Aang,' she muttered.

'He'll come through, he's been through a rough patch but once we get to the Fire Nation to kick some firebender butts, he'll get his flare back,' Sokka assured her.

'Well, I might go down to the market,' Katara sighed. 'Get some supplies, and then we should get going tomorrow.'

When the words left her mouth, Zuko's face swam in her mind's eye. _We should get going tomorrow_. But there was so much still to do, so much to say to Zuko that she couldn't just leave all these loose ends untied… And she wasn't going to lie to herself – she didn't want to go to the market just to get supplies. If he really was waiting for her like he said he was, he should be there. And despite her pleasure in seeing Aang awake, his depressive attitude made her all the more keen to leave the house.


	5. Chapter 5

A chill breeze whipped down the narrow alleyway, biting at Katara's ankles; she shivered and crossed her arms over her chest, clutching the basket a little closer and speeding up her stride. Then, a shadow caught her eye.

The figure of a man flashed over the roof of the building to her left, his shadow crossing the laneway in front of her feet. Katara stopped and narrowed her eyes, staring at the place where he had disappeared.

'Zuko?' she hissed into the darkness, but something told her it wasn't him.

Zuko had proven to be more upfront than to be skulking around gloomy rooftops and following her. He had _definitely_ proven that. Maybe it was just a stray cat, or some kids playing on the roof… Katara raised an eyebrow at her own feeble scepticisms but decided to continue on her way home. As soon as she had turned away –

_Tick_.

She whirled around to see three Dai Li agents leering fifteen metres away, all with their hands raised to attack. Immediately, Katara dropped the basket and flicked a ribbon of water from the pouch around her waist just in time to deflect a stone handcuff that had come flying at her from the agent in the middle. She leapt aside as another stone cuff almost caught her ankle, throwing her hands and the water around to freeze into a solid block of ice a second before it collided with the forehead of the agent on the left. He fell back with a dull _thud_ onto the ground.

'Agh!' Katara cried, as a cuff locked around her left wrist and pinned it to the wall.

She bent the water up again but then, out of nowhere, the agent on the right caught a gasp in his throat and collapsed in a heap on the ground, completely unconscious.

A thrill of pleasure tainted by slight indignation ran up her spine as Zuko lunged forward, broadswords in hand, to knock a flying cuff off course into the wall. The agent stepped back in shock but Zuko didn't hesitate to flash a sword across his throat. He fell over his unconscious comrade.

'Hey, I had that totally under control,' Katara protested.

'Clearly,' said Zuko, appraising her cuffed wrist.

'I didn't need your charity "protection", okay, those agents were all mine.'

'Do you want me to apologise for giving you a hand, seeing as one of yours was occupied?'

Katara narrowed her eyes at his sass, but then looked at her shoes.

'Can you get the cuff off, please?' she asked in a small voice.

Zuko smirked and walked over to her, or _swaggered_ over to her more like, and raised both swords to coolly slice the stone away in a single swipe. Katara massaged her wrist in her other hand and muttered her thanks. Then, a tension sparked up between the two as they simultaneously recalled the last time they had been alone. Katara could feel colour rising in her cheeks; she wasn't sure if she should pretend like nothing had happened, that they were strangers… She didn't know what to say.

Zuko brought his swords together and sheathed them behind his back before picking up Katara's wicker basket and handing it to her.

'Did the others suspect anything last night?' he asked suddenly.

'No, they didn't suspect a thing. But actually, Zuko –' Katara didn't want to say it out loud because being here, alone and talking with him and seeing his face made her wish it wasn't true, 'we're leaving, very soon.'

'You're leaving?' Zuko repeated quickly, a frown flashing across his brow.

'Probably tomorrow, or the day after,' said Katara, the extent of her regret coming as a surprise.

Zuko was staring at her and she was gripped by a sudden longing to reach out and touch his face.

'Don't go, Katara,' he said painfully.

'I have to.' She turned away. 'My friends need me –'

'I need you!'

'This isn't about selfish human desires and connections!' she said angrily. 'This is about so much more than that. It's about helping Aang to save the world from the evil of the Fire Nation, and that's why we could never be together.'

'You don't have to be a part of that,' Zuko argued, moving around to face her.

He was angry, and he was sad, and his eyes were begging her to love him. Katara hated every particle of him for slowly tying a connection between them – a connection she didn't want and she didn't need. Or did she want it? Yes she wanted it, she wanted it very much; but it was futile.

'You don't have to be a part of anything,' he said firmly. 'You can come with me and we can be alone and…'

But Katara was shaking her head.

'You're only making this harder for yourself,' she said harshly. 'And for me.'

'You're the one that's making this hard!'

'What, by committing myself to doing what's right?!'

'By refusing what you really want!'

'You don't know what I want, Zuko, you have no _idea_ what I really want.'

'Tell me, then.'

She opened her mouth and then closed it again. She loathed him for being right.

'Just leave me alone!' she said, turning away again. 'I have things to do, I – I don't have _time_ for this!'

Katara struggled to find words, excuses, reasons to spare herself from the complication of an emotional dependency she couldn't help but desire. She knew the ferocity of Zuko's longing wouldn't give in and so she fruitlessly fought against it, as well as against herself.

'You haven't got _time_ for this?!' Zuko repeated incredulously. 'Are you even listening to yourself?'

'I don't even know why I'm talking to you!' Katara cried erratically. 'You betrayed me – you betrayed _all _of us – once before, I'm being so _stupid_ –'

'You don't have to be so stubborn, Katara! You're fighting for no reason, look at you!'

'_WHAT?!_' Katara whirled around to stare venomously at Zuko's defiant face. 'Fighting for _no reason_? I'm pretty sure I have a _very_ good reason not to want to be around you, or have you forgotten all the times you attacked my friends and I?!'

Zuko yelled aloud in exasperation, throwing his fists down in a streak of fire and turning away from her. When he faced her again, his expression was dangerous.

'How many times do I have to tell you?' he asked furiously. 'I'm not the person I was before, I've changed –'

And he reached out to touch Katara's face.

'_NO, ZUKO!_' she shrieked, leaping away and suddenly sweeping up her hands to bend the water from the laneway behind him up into a lashing whip.

Her face was blazing with rage and tears smarted in her eyes. She was so angry at Zuko for bringing out these feelings, but she was even more angry at herself for being tempted by this scumbag liar, this cheat, this Fire Nation prince with her best friend's blood on his hands.

She lashed a tongue of water at Zuko but he dived aside, projecting a jet of flame to shatter the consistency of the liquid; but Katara only thrust out her hand to pummel the water towards his figure in a heavy, unrelenting surge. Zuko threw himself to roll across the ground, punching a streak of fire just in time to collide with the ball of water that exploded into mere embers and droplets upon contact. Immediately, Katara raised every drop of water to combine into a speeding deluge which Zuko rolled away from, his shoulders making contact with the opposite wall of the alley. He leapt lithely to his feet, sweeping his foot around to heat the waterlogged stones, preventing Katara from bending the water for a fraction of a second – just enough time for Zuko to proceed to side-step, duck, dodge and weave expertly out of the range of every one of Katara's attacks. He would not bend fire at her in retaliation. He only incensed her more by deflecting her every move either with the force of defensive flame or by getting out of the way. She became more and more enraged, increasingly desperate to force him away, but he wouldn't let her; he was too good…

Then, Katara stopped. Panting, her chest heaving, her hair hanging lank about her shoulders, she let the water fall with a pathetic _splash_ to the ground and hid her face in her hands. _What is wrong with you, Katara? What are you doing? _

When she felt gentle arms wrap lightly around her waist, she pressed her face into Zuko's shoulder and the closeness of his breathing body seemed to take all the pressure of fear, of anger, of indecision and confusion from her shoulders. The contours of his muscular torso, his arms holding her lower back, her hands pressed flat against his chest, seemed to fit so perfectly, so completely that it was as though they had been made for one another. Katara's heart was soothed until it pumped the most painful pleasure right to the tips of her fingers.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered, her fingernails digging into his chest. 'I'm so sorry.'

'Don't be,' Zuko murmured softly, and he pressed his lips into her hair.

'You know that we could never be together, that it would never work.'

'Why wouldn't it work?'

'Because – well, you're you, and I'm me.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Zuko laughed softly against the top of her head.

She looked up at his smiling face. He seemed totally unfazed, contented just to hold her regardless of the conversation. Katara was about to reply but she realised that she shouldn't be concerned with what the others would think, or what she felt she _should_ do when, really, if she was the be totally honest with herself, this was what she truly wanted.

'You're right,' she said quietly, frowning slightly at his smouldering gaze.

'Right about what?'

But she merely stood up on the tips of her toes to press her lips against his; and then, all reservation vanished. Zuko pulled her closer into him, feeling the contours of her body mould against him; Katara ran her hands up his defined pectorals, up the back of his neck to knot her fingers into his hair. Her blood boiled beneath her skin – water heated by fire. And though it was so remarkable and so unprecedented, their intimacy felt so _familiar_, as if they had been together before and then separated for so long that neither fully remembered until this moment.

When they broke apart, Katara's eyes opened to see Zuko's whole being shining with the purest happiness that she couldn't help but feel it, too.

'I never thought you would want me,' he admitted, shaking his head with a grin. 'Never.'

'Neither did I,' Katara laughed sheepishly.

He inclined his head to kiss the blush on her cheeks. She smiled, but it was a sad smile that quickly dissolved into apprehension.

'We're going to the Fire Nation,' she confessed.

'I'll follow you,' Zuko said immediately. 'I'll meet you there.'

'Do you promise?'

'I promise you, Katara, I will not lose you again.'

And his warm hand pressed against the side of her neck, smoothing up her jawline to hold her hair as he kissed her again.


	6. Chapter 6 (rated M)

'So that's it, then,' said Sokka, crossing his arms and surveying the pack laid out on the kitchen table. 'We've got everything: food, map, planner, water, sleeping bags… anything else?'

'Maybe the two other people on the mission would be helpful,' said Katara, looking around the empty living space. 'Where're Toph and Aang?'

'Saddling up Appa,' said Sokka, but he squinted his eyes and stroked a non-existent beard. 'But y'know, I think they're up to something…'

'Sure, saddling up Appa is _very_ suspicious. I might go to the market again,' said Katara hesitantly. 'Just to make a double check.'

'More like a quadruple check,' said Sokka, raising his eyebrow. 'Come on, we have everything we need. We really need to make a move to the Fire Nation.'

'It's better to be safe than sorry,' she said dismissively, and hurried out of the house before he could reply, calling, 'I'll be two minutes, trust me,' over her shoulder as she went.

But instead of going down the road towards the bazaar, Katara turned sharply left and shadowed furtively down the street into the laneway that backed the small park. Her eyes scanned the road for any sign of Toph or Aang, but there were only three kids kicking a ball against the opposite wall and a few haggard-looking people meandering the streets. She slipped around the corner, across the laneway and into the park, hugging close to be sheltered by a large sandalwood tree. Her heart was pounding in her chest and though her mind was racing a thousand miles a second, her actions were controlled and full of purpose. She felt overwhelmingly guilty for giving her friends the slip, lying to them and going behind their backs to do things like this – but, the extent of her desire gave her little choice in the matter.

Katara glanced over her shoulder to make sure the street was empty, and when she turned back she uttered a sharp gasp that dissolved into a contented exhalation. Zuko had appeared before she could even call, as though he had been waiting for her. He crossed the little park with an unfaltering stride and took her in his arms.

'You made it,' he said, and she pressed her hands against his chest.

'Not here, come on,' she said firmly, stepping out of his embrace and ducking under a branch towards the laneway.

They walked rigidly side-by-side, both with their eyes darting furtively around the streets for a familiar face.

'We're leaving today,' said Katara, keeping all emotion from her voice. 'I've tried to stall them but I've done all I can and, to be honest, I shouldn't even be trying anymore.'

'Don't you want to stay here?' asked Zuko, unable to hide the edge of hurt to his voice.

Katara shot him an alluring smile.

'Not for the reasons you think,' she assured him. 'If I could stay here, I would; but I can't. We have a deadline.'

'You've discovered Sozen's Comet.'

It wasn't a question, and it didn't require an answer for Zuko knew it was true. Katara surprised herself by not being afraid – she trusted him to let them fulfil their duty to the world and not attempt to stop them again. The love in his eyes told her that.

'So we have to move on,' said Katara firmly.

'Listen.'

Zuko stopped in his tracks and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into a little alcove that concealed a doorway. A look of grieving knitted his brow as they stood close in shaded seclusion. Zuko averted his eyes when he spoke.

'I've been thinking over what I said before, about not losing you,' he said. 'And I have a plan for how we can meet once you get into the Fire Nation.'

'What is it?'

'If you leave on the bison tonight, I'll follow as quickly as I can by ostrich horse and then by ship. You'll reach the Fire Nation first, but wait for me. After a week, send a messenger hawk with your location to Ember Island where I will be waiting. Then, I'll come and find you, Katara, and we can be together again.'

The devastating hope in his tone and the apprehension in his eyes as he looked at her pulled at Katara's heartstrings and it was her turn to look down at her shoes.

'But Zuko,' she said hesitantly, 'so much of that depends on chance. What if we get held up, or you get discovered and taken to the capital? There are so many things that could go wrong and –'

'It won't go wrong,' he said lowly, his tone dangerous as though he were challenging the universe to defy his plan.

Zuko's smooth fingers whispered up Katara's jawline, tilting her head up to his.

'Don't be afraid,' he said gently. 'Don't be, we'll find each other again.'

Katara's gaze flicked between each of his eyes, trying to discern some fault in either of them; but he seemed so sure that she couldn't help but believe him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling their bodies close together. Katara' heart fluttered and tears smarted in her eyes.

'I'm going to miss you,' she said, laughing shakily.

Zuko's face was composed, however his eyes, as per usual, gave away his emotion. She saw conflict raging there, a battle of desires ensuing in his mind. Somewhere around the pit of her stomach Katara was in a state of despair, but a stronger feeling which she could not quite identify kept her rooted. Zuko clenched his jaw. Slowly, Katara raised her hand and the back of her fingers whispered down his jaw, from his scarred temple to the tip of his chin. Zuko exhaled slightly, closing his eyes at her touch. Katara's hand lingered at his chin for just a moment as she gently pulled down his face to kiss him. She pressed her lips to his and together they melted into a pool of infatuation. Their lips moulded together and he held her tighter. Zuko's left hand gripped her waist, his right becoming entwined into her hair as he pushed her back into the wall. Katara's brain went numb and then – all feeling of hesitation disappeared.

She snaked her arms up around his neck, clutching him to her; her lips parted under his, breathing the lust emanating from his very skin. Zuko held her waist with both hands now and Katara could feel the intense heat radiating from his hands through her robe. His tongue traced over her bottom lip before he bit it, sensuously hard. Katara could almost taste the desire, the hunger, the craving permeating his breath as he bent to kiss her neck. The little alcove became charged with electric desire. Katara couldn't resist the mesmerising sighs of lust as he kissed her neck.

'What are you doing to me, Zuko?' she groaned. 'You're torturing me.'

'Oh, _I'm_ torturing you, am I?' he asked darkly, his breath fluttering over her neck.

His body had become heated with passion and Katara felt very warm indeed.

'We can't do this,' she said, albeit slightly reluctantly, and Zuko sighed and rested his forehead against her shoulder.

'I know,' he admitted. 'And I hate it. All I want is to be with you.'

'I know you do.'

Katara softly stroked his hair, embracing him tightly no longer with lust but with a pure, genuine feeling of intense love and despair. The dreaded moment of parting was looming ever nearer but, just for a moment, they both denied its existence and were contented to hold one another in that little concealed alcove.

'I'm sorry, Katara,' Zuko said suddenly, leaning back to look painfully at her. 'I'm sorry for everything that I have ever done to you and your friends.'

'You can't change the past,' she said gently. 'You've just got to move on. _I've_ got to move on. But Zuko, I really do trust you now.'

And her clear-blue eyes were so full of honesty that he couldn't help but believe her and smile.

'But the others should be back soon,' she said reluctantly, looking outside. 'I should probably get going; I'd have a _lot_ of explaining to do if they saw us here.'

'Couldn't you just tell them?' asked Zuko hesitantly, though by his tone it was evident that he knew the answer already.

'You know I can't,' she said exasperatedly. 'They wouldn't understand for starters, and there's no way they would trust you.'

'You grew to trust me,' he muttered.

'Yeah but that took a bit of persuading.' She lifted his chin to kiss him again. 'And you couldn't persuade them all, could you?'

'My lips could get pretty chapped,' he smirked.


	7. Chapter 7

'I'm starving,' Toph moaned, massaging her stomach from where she lay on the ground.

'Me too,' said Sokka, looking tragically over to Katara. 'We haven't got anything left, have we?'

'Maybe if you hadn't have fed all the last apples to Appa you wouldn't be so hungry now,' she retorted.

'But he was so happy! And I had to give them to him, he wouldn't stop _looking_ at me,' groaned Sokka. 'Come on, let's go into town, I can't stand this.'

'We only have three silver pieces left,' said Aang, digging into his pocket to hold out the little pentagon-shaped coins.

'It's enough,' said Toph fervently, getting to her feet. 'Let's go.'

'Are you coming, Katara?' asked Aang furtively, rubbing the back of his neck.

'Oh, um, well, someone's got to stay and mind camp,' she said, her face burning with guilt. 'Just bring back something I can make a soup with for later.'

'Okay.' Aang turned away, hiding his disappointment.

The three of them strode down the hill and out of sight. As soon as they were gone, Katara sighed deeply and hugged her knees. It was Tuesday and the sun was dipping down to the west. She extracted a folded note from the band around her waist and unfolded it to read Zuko's familiar cursive scrawl.

_Meet me at Komodo Point before sundown on the Tuesday after next._

She took a deep breath to harden her resolve. She knew that what she was doing was wrong, that she had to stop sneaking around behind her friends' backs to meet up with their arch-enemy that had kind of become her lover; but… she couldn't deny it. Since she had received his note, Katara had not stopped thinking about, anticipating, dreaming of their reunion.

Regardless, she _had_ to meet him, whether to tell him no or not. It couldn't end without discussion.

Katara got to her feet, scrunched the letter in her hand, squared her shoulders and marched in the opposite direction, up the hillside towards Komodo Point.

'Hello, Katara,' said Zuko aloud to himself, smiling manically at the air. 'It's good to see you safe! Er – how was your journey? Ugh, more like "glad to see you haven't been arrested by my father". I'm such an _idiot_, what the hell do you say to your kind-of-girlfriend who may or may not have realised you're a total jerk for being Fire Nation?! She's probably not even there.'

He shook his head miserably, the fire lily hanging limp in his hand.

'Well,' he said, with little conviction, 'I guess I'll never know unless I go over there.'

Zuko squared his shoulders and strode forward, down the bayside track and up the hill, walking fast to get there before he lost his nerve. A warm breeze rippled through the long cliff-top grasses like waves over water; it was a beautiful sight, but Zuko was much too distracted by his internal aggravation. As he neared the top of the ridge, over which Katara should be waiting, he slowed his pace and his heart began to pound. His mind began to prepare himself for devastating rejection, for loss and loneliness again. When the top of the hillock peaked, he squinted his eyes, prepared from the mental blow, but –

'_Katara?!_'

Zuko's jaw dropped when he saw her, hardly believing his eyes. She was dressed in modern Fire Nation style but he had never in his life seen her look so beautiful. Her long crimson skirt waved lightly in the breeze, her waist was exposed and her rich tanned skin there appeared smooth and in perfect contrast to the golden trimming. Her hair was out of its usual braid, rippling down her back.

When he said her name, she looked around and smiled widely, her eyes lighting up.

'Zuko!' she said, running forward and throwing her arms around his neck. 'I can't believe you made it!'

He held her back, feeling the contours of her womanly figure in his arms, and lifted her off her feet in his sudden ecstasy. He pressed his face into her hair and his heart swelled, all thought of misery gone completely to be replaced by the most fierce joy; even though her perfection had run through his mind a thousand times a day, only now did he realise that his imagination didn't do her justice at all. It was then that he had never felt more grateful to be with her in his life.

'I missed you, too,' he said, and he truly meant it.

Katara leaned back to look at him and he couldn't fight the smile on his lips. She kissed him long and passionately, holding his face in her hands; she had been waiting much too long.

'You look incredible, Katara,' said Zuko sincerely. 'I never thought you'd be dressed in Fire Nation clothes. Here, I – er – brought you a fire lily.'

'That's so sweet,' she grinned, and Zuko felt his cheeks burn as she took the crimson flower.

'Has everything gone smoothly?' he asked, slightly awkwardly. 'You have a safe place to stay?'

'More or less,' Katara shrugged. 'There's a little sheltered bay just down at the foot of the cliff; we're staying there for the time being. But did you get here okay? I guess you were right in Ba Sing Se when you said it wouldn't go wrong,' she admitted.

Zuko smiled, but then his expression darkened.

'I had a bit of trouble running into some messengers from Azula on Ember Island but – obviously it all turned out fine.'

'I'm glad,' Katara said, and she meant it.

She was more than glad, she was even _relieved_ to see him there. They both stood looking at one another for a while, drinking in their respective appearances until it got uncomfortable and they looked away.

'Let's go down to the beach,' Katara suggested, and Zuko nodded and together they made their way down the hillock.

'So what did _Azula_ want?' asked Katara, unable to keep the malice from her voice as she said her name.

'Just wondering where I was,' Zuko shrugged. 'She kept saying that everyone was waiting to congratulate me for taking down the Avatar, but, well, in my opinion it's not much to celebrate.'

'No kidding.' She paused. 'You're not telling me everything,' said Katara, eyeing him shrewdly. 'What's on your mind?'

Zuko hung his head and then looked out to where the sun was sinking low towards the sea, its rays sending streaks of pink and gold across the sky and glittering on the surface of the water. It was still quite warm out and a cricket chirped somewhere off in the grass.

'I'm afraid of facing my father,' he admitted. 'It's been three years; I just can't believe that he would accept me as his son again.'

'I know it's hard to come to terms with,' Katara sympathised, and she wound her arm around his, walking close beside him. 'But if he believes Aang to be dead, surely he would want you back?'

'He does, according to Azula at least. But I'm also afraid of what's going to happen when he finds out Aang's still alive.'

'Well, that's a whole other situation, and one that won't come about until the eclipse.'

Katara hesitated, then decided to ask the question she had wanted to ask since their time spent together in Ba Sing Se.

'Zuko, what are you going to do?' she asked cautiously, looking up at his scarred face.

'What do you mean?'

'Well, after what happened in the catacombs – that was you publicly choosing to be on the bad side; but, if we're together like this and you don't care about capturing Aang again, does that mean you're on the good side?'

'It's not as simple as good and bad,' he replied irately.

'In this case, yes, it is,' she retorted.

'No, you don't know what you're talking about. I _have_ to be on what you call the "bad" side –'

'Why?'

'Because that means I finally get my father's acceptance again!'

He was getting angry and short-tempered with her. Katara glared petulantly at the meadow beside the track.

'That doesn't seem worth it to me,' she said shortly. 'But even if you think you've chosen that side, you obviously haven't. I mean, look at you!'

'What's that supposed to mean?' he asked, narrowing his eyes.

'You're with me, aren't you? That's not exactly the attitude of an enemy is it, to fall in love with the person they're supposed to hate?'

'Fall in _love_ with them?' he repeated, his tone suddenly much softer.

Katara's eyes widened with a sudden fearful realisation of what she had just said.

'I – I didn't mean that _you_ had fallen in love with _me_,' she said quickly, trying and failing to fight the blush that gave away her embarrassment. 'I just meant, you know, as an example…'

She trailed off awkwardly, averting her gaze to the ground, her insides raging at herself. They reached the black beach at the foot of the cliffs. The sand glittered with the rich rays of sunlight and feeble little waves furled up at the water's edge.

'Spar with me,' said Katara suddenly, grinning up at Zuko.

'You want to fight me? What, for old time's sake?'

'Yeah, it'll be fun! Come on, spar with me,' she commanded, letting go of his arm and facing him.

'Fine.' He humoured her.

Zuko watched her unwrap the skirt from her hips, revealing tightly wrapped white linen pants. He couldn't keep his eyes off her as she walked across the black sand and entered the water, leaving a trail of ripples until she stopped almost knee-deep and turned to face him. He watched her position with a mixture of hesitation and longing as he shook off his robe, rolled his pants up to his knees and kicked off his shoes. The sand was surprisingly warm underfoot.

Katara exhaled deeply, narrowing her eyes; her hands were poised, ready to strike; her entire body was tensed, her feet tingling with anticipation. She was ready to let out some built-up emotion – emotions of frustration, unmet desire, confusion and happiness. Zuko's orange eyes burned with intensity visible even from where he stood ten metres away. He was crouched slightly, his palms raised, his posture strong and yet still nimble.

Then, Zuko sprinted forward, dived under Katara's stream of water and punched balls of fire in her direction, which she deflected with a defensive wave that exploded upon impact. She swept up her hands, her face contorted with concentration, and a great surge of water rolled up Zuko's body and froze solid, pinning his arms against his sides.

Katara smirked, putting her hands on her hips.

'Got you again,' she said triumphantly.

'Hey, I was holding back,' said Zuko defensively, his bare skin glowing hot to melt the ice around him. 'I didn't want to hurt you.'

'Oh, sure, sure. Just like all the other times?'

'I could seriously burn you! Fire is a _lot_ more dangerous than water.'

'Ah, no it isn't! Fire can burn but I could make a flying _dagger_ out of a sheet of ice.'

The water around Zuko's figure pooled around his ankles and sank into the sand. His pants clung to his body, his hair sticking to the sides of his neck. Droplets clung to his sculpted torso and goosebumps bloomed up his skin. Katara's cheeks flushed slightly at the sight.

'Here,' she offered quickly, raising her hands to bend all the water from him and leaving him completely dry.

'Thanks. You know, if I shot a fireball at you right now, you'd be toast.'

'Not if I blocked it first.'

'What if you didn't react in time?'

'Oh please, I _always_ react in time.'

'Okay, let's go again,' said Zuko, half-irritated half-amused.

'If you want,' she shrugged coolly. 'I didn't know you liked losing so much.'

She took her stance in the water and Zuko acted immediately, sweeping his foot around to streak a line of fire at Katara, who immediately raised a wall of defensive water that was sliced by the flames. She whipped a ribbon of liquid which he dodged and then deflected; but he was weaving closer to her, dodging and repelling her attacks, redirecting her energy onto her until his feet were in the water. He was progressing slowly until suddenly, he burst forward and sprinted right at her, the movement sped up tenfold by raging jets of fire he shot behind him from his fists. Katara's eyes widened and she shrieked as he grabbed her around her waist, the stream of water she was bending falling back into the sea with a _splash_. Zuko lifted her up into the air, spinning her around as she cried aloud with playful fear, wrapping her legs around his waist.

'Stop it, _put me down_!' she begged through her laughter.

'Not a chance, you're _mine_ now – _whoa_!'

Katara had waved her hand, flicking a low wall of ice to trip him up, and they both fell back with a resounding _SPLASH_ into the sea. Katara knelt over him, straddling his hips with a winning expression. Zuko coughed sea water out of his mouth, pushing his wet fringe of his face and wiping water out of his eyes, before looking up and faltering.

'Now _you're_ mine,' she said triumphantly. 'I win.'

'That's not fair! If we're sparring in the _ocean_ you're obviously –'

But Katara pressed a finger to his lips. Zuko stopped talking immediately and looked furtively up at her, water lapping around his lower back as the ripples of movement died down. Something in her eyes had changed; the playfulness had been replaced by some deeper, more dominant desire.


End file.
